International students' employment search in the united states: a phenomenological study

After completing their academic degree, international student populations face unique situations in their search for employment in the United States. This study used a phenomenological examination to identify the perceptions and the experiences of eight undergraduate international students who participated in a 10-week support group during the employment exploration and application process. Participants documented their personal reflections in journal entries and engaged in a single-session focus group after the support group. Themes that emerged from the focus group and participants' journal entries were (a) discovering personal uniqueness, (b) coping with acculturation, and (c) dealing with a lack of resources. Implications for career development practitioners are discussed.